A look at Round 7 - Ist XV's
Whichever way you look at it, the next 4 weekends should showcase some compelling Schools Rugby viewing. There's the undeniable "last time we play you in Schoolboys" factor that all the remaining games will have for the Y12's playing, and injuries to key players may have a role (nothing new), but individual reputations and ladder positions will count for sweet blow-all in the closeness of the contests to come.
3 'must watch' games coming right up.
Joeys v Shore (Rnd 2: Joeys 33 def. Shore 10)
The JoeBoys will be 'renewed' for the run home after their last gasp win over Iggies in Rnd 6. Joeys' back-line, most of them fresh from Reps, will just be itching to get their hands on the pill and cause havoc through the Shore 3/4 line and out wide.
Shore's piggies on the other hand, to be led by inspirational lock Suttor, and guided around the paddock by clever halfback, Haskins, will look to cut Joey's supply lines wherever they can.
The injury to Shore dynamo, Rixon, sustained in the National Schools Final shows how cruel the Rugby Gods can sometimes be, and if it turns out to be GPS Season-ending for him, his absence will leave a sizeable hole in Shore's attacking armoury. But Rixon is no 1-man team, and if anyone can run out the Season on guts, determination and "up and into 'em", it's the lads in Navy & White.
JoeBoys @ home should be too strong, and grab their complimentary 'Rowers Lots' at 5pm, Saturday. Joeys by 12.
Iggies v New (Rnd 2: Iggies 44 def. New 30)
Iggies might need to be 'swabbed'. 4 convincing wins to open Season 2016, followed by 2 narrow losses.
Ignore the Win / Loss though. Iggies' For & Against is undeniable (a Comp best +58), and they renew their recent rivalry with New in the highest-scoring games stakes with an average points per game aggregate in the last 4 contests between these two of 72.5 pts/game! These teams can attack!
Both sides have Rep stars aplenty, and can hurt one another with options right across the park, and New's #10, Kuenzle, who missed the Rnd 2 clash, will add depth and structure to New's game - both in attack and D.
For mine, it will come down to whichever team puts in their best, sustained, Defensive effort.
Rorke and Fenn to lead the D, and Iggies, to a 7pt win.
Scots v Kings (Rnd 2: Kings 31 def. Scots 13)
My 'Match of the Round'. A top of the table clash; both teams having dropped just the one this Season. But only one will still be able to boast that come this Saturday evening. There
will be tears.
There's not too much in it.
Kings' near water-tight D has rarely been stretched this Season. But then, so too, Scots' Defensive linesmen are no slouches. The Against stats don't lie.
On points For - Kings 151, and Scots 138 - statistically, there's nary a Tally-ho ciggie paper between them, offensively.
Kings, since Season start, have been the real deal; the complete package. Scots have simply found a way, or more accurately, found the ways, including cleaning up the wasteful and wayward kicking game they took out to Kings back in Round 2.
Kings' have the 'star' go-to players, like Brown (Nick), Lombardi, Pietsch, Osborne, and Brown (Kyle), any or all of whom might carry their side on the day.
Scots embodies the appellation 'star team', and with injury clouds hanging low over a couple of key players, they'll need all of that and then some, to constantly turn up for each other for the full 70'.
Kings go into this one deserved slight favourites, I reckon, but I'll play the 'heart over head' card and call it for the Scots boys at home by 5pts or less.
And lastly, to all the boys, I hope you have a cracking last month of GPS Rugby, fun-filled with your mates - even the training sessions! Enjoy!
